April 29, 2012

I am writing this so late that I cannot remember anything. I caught the number 7 bus from Victoria Street to the Botanic Gardens. It is right opposite the Australian High Commission.

White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus)

By the time I got there it was still dark. The sun had not even come up yet. I had to wait for some light before I could take some see-able photos.

Black-naped Oriole

I wandered around for a while, avoiding the joggers and the tai-chi groups and the dog-walkers. It is probably a good idea to go there during the week.

Plantain Squirrel

This Plantain Squirrel was licking the tree. I do not know if he was after the sap of the tree or some water. Plantain Squirrels eat mostly fruit and nuts, but also eat insects and bird eggs.

Common Hill-myna (Gracula religiosa)

There were heaps of birds and squirrels in this tree hooking into the fruit. Mostly mynas and green-pigeons and this distinctive Common Hill-myna with its yellow patches on the face.

Pink-necked Green-pigeon

There were a few rumblings of thunder, so I made sure that there was some shelter nearby in case it rained. And rain it did. It came down in bucket loads. I had to take shelter under a restaurant awning with some luckless joggers. After that I just gave up and got the bus back to Victoria Street.

April 26, 2012

This morning I was up at 5am and jumped on the bus to the airport at Jakarta. Getting into Singapore was pretty easy and no hassles at all. I had to get a shuttle bus from the budget terminal to Terminal 2 where the train leaves from to get into town.

Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris)

In the afternoon I caught a train to City Hall and walked up to Canning Fort which is an old fort with lots of trees and walking paths in the middle of the city.

Collared Kingfisher

Just at the bottom of the hill I saw these three Collared Kingfishers. I think there was a young one getting fed.

Collared Kingfisher

The Javan Myna (Acridotheres javanicus) is also known as the White-vented Myna and the Buffalo Myna, and is a myna, a member of the Starling family.

Javan Myna (Acridotheres javanicus)

And of course I had to take a photo of a Yellow-vented Bulbul. They never let me down.

Yellow-vented Bulbul

This is the first time I have taken a photo of the Oriental Magpie Robin. I think I have seen them but failed to get a photo.

Oriental Magpie Robin (Copsychus saularis)

House Crows are a pest in Singapore and I read that they are employing people to shoot them.

House Crow (Corvus splendens)

Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugulari)

I have taken photos of both male and female Asian Koels near where I lived in Newcastle. They perched on a TV antenna a few houses down the road.

Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus)

At the end of the day I also saw a pair of White-bellied Sea-eagles but I had my camera packed away and by the time I got over my shock, they were gone.